Legal claims defining the scope of protection. Each claim is shown in both the original legal language and a plain English translation.
1. A colorimetry device, comprising: a display unit; a color measuring unit for measuring color; an imaging unit for obtaining an image, the imaging unit comprising a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements and being configured to image an optical image of an object; a moving unit for relatively moving the position of the color measuring unit with respect to a measurement object sheet; and a control processor, the control processor being configure to perform: image acquisition processing that obtains an image of a color chart having a plurality of patches, which are regions of predetermined colors, by the imaging unit; chart region extraction processing that extracts chart regions, where the plurality of patches are present, based on the image of the color chart obtained by the image acquisition processing; patch position processing that obtains the positions of the plurality of patches based on the image of the color chart obtained by the image acquisition processing for the chart regions extracted by the chart region extraction processing; chart region selection processing that facilitates displaying of the image of the color chart obtained by the image acquisition processing on the display unit and obtaining the chart region selected by a user from the displayed chart regions as a chart region of a colorimetric object; and color measurement processing that facilitates relative movement of the position of the color measuring unit with respect to the color chart to the position of each of the plurality of patches obtained by the patch position processing in the chart region of the colorimetric object obtained by the chart region selection processing and measuring the color of each of the plurality of patches.
A colorimetry device is designed to accurately measure and analyze colors from a color chart containing multiple patches of predetermined colors. The device includes a display unit, a color measuring unit, an imaging unit, a moving unit, and a control processor. The imaging unit captures an image of the color chart using an array of photoelectric conversion elements. The control processor performs several key functions: acquiring an image of the color chart, extracting regions where the patches are located, determining the positions of each patch within the extracted regions, and displaying the chart image to allow a user to select a specific region for color measurement. Once a region is selected, the moving unit adjusts the position of the color measuring unit to align with each patch in the selected region, enabling precise color measurement of each patch. This system automates the process of identifying and measuring color patches, improving accuracy and efficiency in color analysis.
2. The colorimetry device according to claim 1 , wherein the chart region selection processing facilitates display of an image representing the chart region extracted by the chart region extraction processing in a superimposing manner on the image of the color chart obtained by the image acquisition processing and obtains the chart region selected by the user from the chart regions having images representing the chart regions displayed in a superimposing manner as the chart region of the colorimetric object.
This invention relates to a colorimetry device designed to improve the accuracy and efficiency of color measurement by allowing users to visually select specific regions of a color chart for analysis. The device addresses the challenge of precisely identifying and isolating chart regions in an acquired image, which is critical for accurate colorimetric measurements. The colorimetry device includes an image acquisition unit that captures an image of a color chart, which may contain multiple color patches or regions. A chart region extraction processing unit then analyzes the acquired image to identify and extract potential chart regions based on predefined criteria, such as color contrast or geometric patterns. These extracted regions are then displayed as overlays on the original image of the color chart, allowing the user to visually confirm and select the correct regions for measurement. The user can interact with the displayed image to select the desired chart regions, which are then designated as the colorimetric objects. This interactive selection process ensures that the device measures the intended regions, reducing errors caused by automatic extraction inaccuracies. The device may also include additional processing to refine the selected regions, such as edge detection or noise reduction, to enhance measurement precision. By combining automated extraction with user-guided selection, the invention improves the reliability of colorimetric measurements, particularly in applications where precise region identification is essential, such as quality control in printing or manufacturing.
3. The colorimetry device according to claim 2 , wherein the chart region selection processing facilitates display of images representing the positions of the patches obtained by the patch position processing in a superimposing manner on the image of the color chart.
A colorimetry device is designed to analyze color charts by capturing images of the charts and processing them to identify and evaluate color patches. The device includes a chart region selection processing feature that overlays images representing the positions of the detected color patches onto the original image of the color chart. This allows users to visually confirm the accuracy of patch detection. The patch position processing involves analyzing the captured image to locate the individual color patches within the chart. The overlay display ensures that the detected patch positions are correctly aligned with the actual chart, improving the reliability of color measurement and analysis. This feature is particularly useful in applications requiring precise color calibration, such as printing, textile manufacturing, and display technology, where accurate color matching is critical. The device enhances user confidence in the measurement results by providing a visual verification step, reducing errors in color assessment. The system automates the patch detection process while maintaining transparency through visual feedback, streamlining workflows in industries dependent on color accuracy.
4. The colorimetry device according to claim 3 , wherein the control processor is further configured to perform: chart region candidate extraction processing that extracts chart region candidates serving as candidates of the chart region where the plurality of patches are present based on the image of the color chart obtained by the image acquisition processing; evaluation index calculation processing that obtains an evaluation value indicating a degree of the chart region candidate being the chart region based on an image of the chart region candidate for the chart region candidate extracted by the chart region candidate extraction processing; and chart region determination processing that determines whether or not the chart region candidate extracted by the chart region candidate extraction processing is the chart region based on the evaluation value obtained by the evaluation index processing corresponding to the chart region candidate extracted by the chart region candidate extraction processing, wherein: the chart region extraction processing extracts the chart region determined to be the chart region by the chart region determination processing; and the chart region selection processing facilitates display of an image representing the position of the patch corresponding to the evaluation value obtained by the evaluation index calculation processing in a superimposing manner on the image of the color chart.
A colorimetry device analyzes color charts to evaluate color accuracy. The device captures an image of a color chart containing multiple color patches and processes the image to identify regions where these patches are located. The system extracts candidate regions that may contain the chart's patches, then calculates an evaluation value for each candidate to determine how likely it is to be the actual chart region. This evaluation assesses whether the candidate region matches expected characteristics of a color chart. The device then determines if a candidate region is the true chart region based on these evaluation values. Once identified, the chart region is extracted, and the device highlights the position of patches within the chart, overlaying this information on the original image for visual confirmation. This process ensures accurate detection and evaluation of color patches in the chart, improving color measurement reliability. The system automates the identification of chart regions, reducing manual intervention and enhancing efficiency in color calibration and quality control applications.
5. The colorimetry device according to claim 2 , wherein the chart region selection processing obtains the chart region selected by the user as the chart region of the colorimetric object if the user selects the chart region present in the image of the color chart and other than the chart regions extracted by the chart region extraction processing.
A colorimetry device is designed to accurately measure colors from a color chart, addressing challenges in automatically identifying and selecting specific chart regions for color measurement. The device includes a chart region extraction process that automatically identifies multiple chart regions within an image of a color chart. To enhance user control, the device allows a user to manually select a chart region that is part of the color chart but was not automatically extracted by the system. When the user selects such a region, the device designates it as the chart region of the colorimetric object, enabling precise color measurement from the user-selected area. This approach ensures flexibility in color measurement by combining automated extraction with manual user input, improving accuracy and usability in applications such as color calibration, quality control, and color matching. The device may also include additional features, such as displaying the extracted chart regions to the user for verification or further interaction.
6. The colorimetry device according to claim 1 , wherein the color measurement processing measures the color of each of the plurality of patches present in the chart region of the colorimetric object in the same order as the order of obtaining the chart regions if the chart region selection processing obtains a plurality of chart regions of the colorimetric object.
A colorimetry device is designed to measure the color of patches within a chart region of a colorimetric object. The device includes a chart region selection processor that identifies one or more chart regions on the object. When multiple chart regions are detected, the device measures the color of each patch within these regions in the same sequence as the order in which the chart regions were obtained. This ensures consistent and systematic color measurement across different regions of the object. The device may also include an image capture unit to acquire images of the colorimetric object and a display unit to present the measurement results. The color measurement processing involves analyzing the patches in each chart region to determine their color values, which can be used for quality control, calibration, or other applications where precise color assessment is required. The device's ability to process multiple chart regions in a predefined order enhances accuracy and efficiency in colorimetric analysis.
7. A colorimetry method for a colorimetry device with a display unit, a color measuring unit for measuring color, an imaging unit for obtaining an image, the imaging unit comprising a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements and being configured to image an optical image of an object, a moving unit for relatively moving the position of the color measuring unit with respect to a measurement object sheet, and a control processor that controls the color measuring unit, the imaging unit and the moving unit, the colorimetry method comprising: an image acquisition processing step of obtaining an image of a color chart having a plurality of patches, which are regions of predetermined colors, by the imaging unit; a chart region extraction processing step of extracting chart regions where the plurality of patches are present based on the image of the color chart obtained in the image acquisition processing step; a patch position processing step of obtaining the positions of the plurality of patches based on the image of the color chart obtained in the image acquisition processing step for the chart regions extracted in the chart region extraction processing step; a chart region selection processing step of displaying the image of the color chart obtained in the image acquisition processing step on the display unit and obtaining the chart region selected by the user from the displayed chart regions as a chart region of a colorimetric object; and a color measurement processing step of relatively moving the position of the color measuring unit with respect to the color chart to the position of each of the plurality of patches obtained in the patch position processing step by the moving unit in the chart region of the colorimetric object obtained in the chart region selection processing step and measuring the color of each of the plurality of patches by the color measuring unit.
This invention relates to a colorimetry method for accurately measuring colors in a color chart using a specialized device. The device includes a display unit, a color measuring unit, an imaging unit with multiple photoelectric conversion elements, and a moving unit to adjust the position of the color measuring unit relative to a measurement object. The method involves capturing an image of a color chart containing multiple patches of predetermined colors using the imaging unit. The system then extracts regions where these patches are located and determines their positions within the chart. The user selects a specific chart region from the displayed image for color measurement. The moving unit then aligns the color measuring unit with each patch in the selected region, and the color of each patch is measured. This approach ensures precise color measurement by combining image analysis with automated positioning, improving accuracy and efficiency in color calibration and quality control processes. The method is particularly useful in industries requiring high-precision color matching, such as printing, textile manufacturing, and display production.
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September 3, 2019
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